What's For Dinner?

It's the weekend and I didn't feel like cooking.  This is really quick.  Haven't tried it yet as it's still cooking on the stove.  Just thought I'd add it because it'll probably be good.

1lb of Linguiça, sliced
3 large potatoes, chopped/chunked
1 small sweet onion
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper to taste

Heat Olive oil in a pan on medium heat
Add potatoes, onions and linguiça to the pan and cook for 20-30 minutes (or until potatoes are done), stirring occasionally.  Season with salt/pepper to taste.

And that's it.

Let me start off by saying that I hate salmon.  I like the color, not the fish.  But I keep hearing about how good it is for me and how I should eat it, blah blah blah.  And yes, I've had it before.  I had it at my sister's wedding and it was wonderful.  However, I'm convinced that it wasn't salmon because it was so good.  It was blackened.  I tried ordering that out at a restaurant and it was gross.  Therefore, the wedding salmon wasn't really salmon.  hehe.


So leave it to my mom to invite us over for dinner a few months ago and server salmon.  You see, I trust my mom.  And she knows I don't like fish...but this is the same woman who told me that I would like tilapia and she was right.  And she was right about her salmon.  I loved it.


And a few weeks ago I found some salmon that comes frozen in little individual packages and I thought I'd try it.


What is nice about buying it that way is that it was 1.  on sale for a dollar each and 2.  I don't have to defrost it before cooking, so I could make it when I was ready and wouldn't be able to blame "defrost time" on why I shouldn't.


I called Mom this afternoon to get the recipe, which she recited off the top of her head while she was out driving the golf cart in Florida with my dad--they were running errands to the hardware store and grocery store.


I cooked up some roasted potatoes and a vegetable medley to serve with the salmon.  And I altered Mom's recipe from chives to green onions (because I couldn't find the chives I thought I had in the house).


So here it is.  You can double/triple it but since it was just us tonight...


Serves 2


2 frozen (or fresh*) salmon fillets
2 green onions, chopped (the white and the green part) (or 1-2 Tbsp of chives)
1/2tsp Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
4Tbsp of mayonnaise


Preheat the oven to 350°*.  Put the salmon in a baking dish and mix the green onions (or chives), Worcestershire sauce and mayo in a small bowl.  Pour/spread the mayo mixture over the fillets.


Bake the salmon in the oven for about 25-30* minutes.  At about 25 minutes, remove it from the oven and check to see if the internal temp is 160°.  I basically cooked mine until it was 160° internal temp.

*Note:  The directions on the salmon package say 450° and 25 minutes from frozen.  You can try it that way...next time I make this I will see if it works.  However, if you're using fresh (not frozen) salmon, I would try 350° first.  

So it's that time of year...and my skin is aching, my sinuses hurt, etc....so before I get sick I like to make soup!  Plus my co-worker's wife is sick so I wanted to make some to her to help her feel better too!
Tonight's recipe was inspired by Italian Wedding Soup with a few twists and turns to make it something a little extra special.  I didn't actually measure anything, so I'm guessing at how much I put in of everything.  Feel free to add or subtract as you'd like.  It turned out REALLY well and cleared up my sinuses.  Had 2 bowls!!

This makes a lot of broth--since I was sharing it, I wanted to make sure I had enough.  I would say this could easily serve 8.

1-2 heads of escarole, washed and chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1-2 small sweet onion, chopped or diced, depending on your taste
1 32oz container of beef broth
2 32 oz of chicken broth
2 cups of water
25-40 cocktail sized meatballs
9oz of frozen tortellini
1/2 cup parmigiana cheese
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil on medium.  Saute onions until soft and add garlic, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn.  Add meatballs and stir to coat the meatballs.  Allow to cook for about 2 minutes.  Add water and broth.  Turn up the heat to Medium-High.  Stir in the escarole and cook until it wilts.  Add 1/4 c of parmigiana cheese and seasonings, salt and pepper. Stir in the tortellini and cover, bringing the soup to a boil.  Remove the soup from heat and stir.  Serve with remaining parmigiana cheese.

This is a super easy super taste app that my mom used to make.   It is super easy and can be prepared ahead of time and brought someplace to bake or to bake closer to when company is coming.

4oz softened cream cheese
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (or 1 tbsp of garlic powder can be used as a short cut)
1/2-1 small can (3oz) of mushroom pieces and stems, chopped
1 package of crescent rolls


Preheat the oven to 375.
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, garlic and mushrooms.   
On a large cutting board or other large clean surface, unroll the package of crescent rolls into one giant rectangle- do not separate into pieces.  (You'll have to play with it, pinch seams together, etc.  It doesn't have to be perfect.)  
Spread the cream cheese mixture across the crescent roll sheet.  
From the long end, roll it up and then cut into 1/2" slices.  
Lay each slice on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 12  minutes.

 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

This is a combo recipe of a lot of other recipes I've used over the last few years.



Potatoes, peeled or mostly peeled (1-2 per person)
Salt
¼ top ½ stick of butter
1 C sour cream
milk
garlic cloves (at least 4, depending on your taste)
Directions:
Peel potatoes and cut into fairly large chunks.
Boil until tender to fork. Drain.
Add salt (to taste), butter and sour cream
Mash by hand. 
Add milk to desired creaminess.

One of my favorites.  I had a version of this at a restaurant at the Boardwalk hotel in Disney about 6 years ago.  I would have to say that this recipe is the closest and tastiest.  I serve this with the mashed potatoes and spinach recipes I'll be posting.  YUM.

Alterations I made:  1 bottle Bass Ale, 1 package of dry onion soup mix and 6 really thick cut pork chops (1.5" thick).  I also threw a chicken breast in for one of my guests.


Ingredients:
4-6 pork chops
flour
salt & pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¾ C beer
1 small jar mushrooms, drained
2 Tbs dry onion soup mix or 2 Tbs minced onion & garlic powder to taste
Directions:
Coat chops in flour, sat & pepper, and brown. Put in single layer in baking dish.
Prepare mushroom soup according to label direction, substituting beer for water or milk.
Add mushrooms and soup mix or powders, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Pour over chops and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
Gravy is great to serve with mashed potatoes.

From allrecipes.com
I subbed dried cranberries for fresh cranberries.

A blog about Harvest Salad, Drunken Pork Chops served over Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Spinach and the Mushroom Log Appetizer.  Having dinner guests and I'm cooking!  YAY!  Check back after the weekend!

That's what Ian called them...he also called them "Oh my God, these are the best nachos ever!"
While I can't take full credit for the recipe, I did make some alterations as I went along based on ingredients I had in the house.  I used Linguiça instead of the recommended Chorizo because we had it in the house.  And I used chili beans because I didn't have black beans...and I might have added some cilantro in there somewhere...and more garlic and green onions that I was supposed to...ha...


So I present to you the recipe that inspired Snauchos or Spicy Sausage, Bean and Cheese Nachos

The picture of my final product.  YUM!

This recipe was inspired by the the farm fresh tomatoes that my neighbor dropped off for us today.

1 1/2lbs plum tomatoes (roughly chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 small sweet onion (chopped)
1 jalapeño (chopped)  (or whatever kind of pepper you happen to have in the house) 
1 tsp course salt
1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp oregano

In a food processor, pulse chopped garlic, onion, pepper and about 2/3 of the chopped tomatoes.
Remove from the food processor and set aside in a bowl and add remaining tomatoes to the food processor.  Pulse until liquefied.  Add to the bowl.

Stir in remaining ingredients and make sure you have a chip near by so you can try your creation.

• Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 pound escarole, chopped
  • Salt
  • 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
  • 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (1-ounce) piece Parmesan
  • 1 (14.5oz) can of diced tomatoes with Jalepenos
  • ]Freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Serving suggestion: crusty bread

Directions

This another Weight Watchers inspired meal.  Haven't made it in a while but it was very tasty--and has a healthier spin on it than regular Shrimp Scampi. 

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
6 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pound(s) shrimp, medium, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup(s) wine, dry white or vermouth
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
8 oz uncooked whole grain pasta cooked and kept hot
1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, chopped
2 Tbsp basil, fresh, thinly sliced


Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add oregano and stir to coat. Add shrimp and sauté until bright pink, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer about 1 minute.

Dissolve cornstarch in chicken broth in a small cup and whisk until blended; add mixture to skillet and simmer 2 minutes, until sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer cooked pasta to four individual shallow bowls and spoon shrimp and sauce over top; sprinkle with parsley and basil. Yields about 1 1/3 cups of pasta, 1/4 cup of sauce and 3 ounces of shrimp per serving.

This one is from my Cooking Light Cookbook, but I have made some changes to it based on what I have in the house. 

Ingredients


Cakes:
2 (1 1/2-ounce) slices whole wheat bread
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 chopped green onions
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons canola oil

Cajun Seasoning:

If you're like me and you don't have "Cajun Seasoning" or don't want to buy another spice to fill your spice rack, here is a great recipe that I used to make Cajun Seasoning. It will be more than you need for this recipe but that just means you can make this dish over and over!

1/4 tsp table salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp thyme

Aioli:
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

To prepare cakes, place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup (discard remaining breadcrumbs). Set breadcrumbs aside.

Place chicken in food processor; pulse until ground. Combine chicken, chives, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt, egg whites, and breadcrumbs in a medium bowl; mix well (mixture will be wet). Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add patties; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done.

To prepare aioli, combine 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Serve with cakes.

This one is a Weight Watcher's dinner:

Serves 4

2 spray(s) cooking spray
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red curry powder (if you like spicy) or regular curry for a milder taste
1/2 tsp table salt (I used 1/4tsp)
3 medium scallion(s), thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
1/2 cup(s) light coconut milk (I can usually find this at Shop Rite)
1 pound(s) shrimp, large, shelled and deveined
3 cup(s) cooked brown rice


1.  Coat a medium to large skillet with cooking spray; add oil and set over medium heat. When heated, add curry powder and salt; cook, stirring constantly, until curry is fragrant, about 1 minute.

2.  Add white parts of scallions; cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes more.  Add coconut milk; stir to blend. Add shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with green parts of scallions; serve. Yields about 5 to 6 shrimp, 3/4 cup rice and 1 to 2 tablespoons sauce per serving.

I don't have a picture for this one.  Imagine spaghetti with fresh spinach and tomatoes and garlic and feta cheese all tossed together...this is a favorite in our house--and it's super quick.

Here's what you need:
Serves 2

3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 box of Barilla Whole Grain Spaghetti (it is in a blue box--there is one in a yellow box that I don't like as much) use as much as you need--for the two of us we use half the box
1 bag of fresh Baby Spinach leaves (I think it's 9oz)
Feta Cheese or Parm Cheese, depending on what you like better
1 can Diced Tomatoes with Jalepenos (or zesty, depending on how hot you like things)
2 tbsp olive oil
shrimp (a nice option to add a little more protein and substance)

While you gather your ingredients and chop the garlic, bring your pasta water to a boil.  Just before you add the pasta to the water, start the spinach:

1.  In a large/deep frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. 
2.  Add the garlic and spinach and toss together with the olive oil
3.  Allow the spinach to cook down, stirring every so often to move the uncooked pieces to the bottom of the pan 
4.  Add the entire can of diced tomatoes to the pan and stir ingedients together.
5.  If you're adding shrimp, add it now, stirring together with the spinach and tomatoes until the shrimp is fully cooked.
6.  If you're not adding shrimp, let the ingredients simmer for a few minutes to heat the tomatoes

When your pasta is complete, serve it onto the plates.  Divide the spinach/tomato "sauce" and spoon/pour it on top of the spaghetti.  Top with Feta or Parm cheese and lightly toss the pasta to mix everything together on the plate. 

I don't add any salt or pepper to this dish unless it's needed.

This has become one of my favorite dishes lately.  Because I am cooking the fish and veggies at the same time, the whole cooking time takes about 20 minutes with about 10 minutes of prep time, depending on how quickly you cut your vegetables. 

The Veggies - serves 4
1 zucchini (sliced thin)
1 yellow squash (sliced thin)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion (sliced)
1 green pepper (sliced) set aside 2 or 3 slices for tilapia
1 red pepper (sliced) set aside 2 or 3 slices for tilapia
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Tilapia - serves 2
2 4oz thawed tilapia filets
1/2c Italian Bread Crumbs (I like Progresso)
1 Tbsp McCormicks' Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic
2 or 3 slices of green pepper slices diced
2 or 3 slices of red pepper slices diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4c white wine
salt & pepper to taste

Brown Rice - I use Instant Brown Rice because well...it's instant.  And I follow the directions on the box for this one. 


Veggies - 20 minutes
1.  Prepare the zucchini, squash, onions, peppers and garlic.  Heat olive oil in a saute pan and add the veggies. 
2.  Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste and saute the veggies on medium heat until they are tender.  The onions, zucchini and squash will be soft and translucent. 

Tilapia - 10 minutes
1.  Prepare the tilapia.  In a small dish, mix the bread crumbs and seasoning.  Place a tilapia filet in the dish and press into the bread crumbs.  Turn over and press the other side.  Repeat for all tilapia filets.
2.  Heat the olive oil on medium heat and add the onions and peppers.  Saute until tender.  Remove the peppers and onions from the pan.
3.  Place the tilapia filets in the same pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side (depending on thickness of the filet) 
4.  When the tilapia is finished, remove it from the pan and add the peppers and onions back to the pan.  Add the wine and simmer for a few minutes, stirring the peppers and onions with the wine. 
5.  Top the tilapia with the peppers/onions wine sauce.

Serve with brown rice and a glass of white wine, if you'd like!

Where to start...5 years ago, if you told me that I would be posting my favorite recipes on Facebook and people would actually be trying them...I would have laughed at you and said "Doesn't everyone already know how to make peanut butter and jelly?", because I didn't cook.  If it wasn't frozen, canned or available for pickup, I wasn't making/eating it. 

Then one day something clicked.  To impress a guy, I decided I would search the internet for some recipes and make him dinner.  Well, he was a great critic and said everything I made was fabulous--so I decided he was a keeper and I continued to experiment in the kitchen--learning that not only did I like cooking but I was becoming pretty good at it.

Now I am by no means a gourmet chef.  I work full time, I try to cook almost all of our dinners, so most of the time I make things that are readily available from a regular grocery store and can be prepared in a relatively short amount of time.  Meaning, you shouldn't have to go to a specialty store to buy ingredients and you won't be slaving away in the kitchen for hours if you try these recipes.

My goal for this blog is to post what I've made recently, how long it took to make, the difficulty level and if available, the nutritional info.

Most of the recipes I post have come from other sources, which I will note. However, I use recipes as suggestions...a starting point...with ingredients added/deleted/combined to make it the way I think it should taste.

Mangia!